


A Cup of Kindness

by Minutia_R



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-08
Updated: 2012-07-08
Packaged: 2017-11-09 09:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/454209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minutia_R/pseuds/Minutia_R
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Bolin was still dressed in his party clothes, shiny jacket with the silver piping, the sort of thing that could get you in trouble in a place like this, but nobody bothered him at his corner table. </i>He's just a kid<i>, Mako had told Iroh, but he wasn't, really. It was hard for Mako to remember, sometimes. The words </i>I told you so<i> died on his lips.</i></p>
<p>A missing scene from Rikku's <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/444970/chapters/760964">make me your radio</a>, in which Mako has to carry Bolin out of a sake house, again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Cup of Kindness

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [make me your radio](https://archiveofourown.org/works/444970) by [Rikku](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rikku/pseuds/Rikku). 



> This set between chapters 4 and 5 of make me your radio. You _probably_ don't need to read make me your radio in order to work out what's going on here; you just need to read make me your radio because it's really good.

Mako hadn't been there when it happened. He'd been on the other side of the immense hall, talking to some boring old lady about corporate sponsorship. Korra didn't like the idea— _Remember what happened last time we had a sponsor?_ Korra accepted Tenzin and his family's generosity as unthinkingly as a flower accepts the rain. But Mako had been taking care of himself and Bolin since they were kids, and he hated depending on anybody's kindness. If that meant getting an Omashu Oatcake tattooed on his chest, well, at least he knew what was expected of him in return.

So all he'd seen was an odd flash of fire, like summer lightning, from a nearby window. And then he'd started hearing the whispers.

_General Iroh, really? I didn't think he was the type . . ._

_Yes, and that friend of the Avatar's, what's his name, Baleen?_

_Back in my day, we used to at least find an out-of-the-way coat closet before we started that sort of thing._

_I can't believe the boy walked out on him. If he'd kissed_ me _like that . . ._

Mako didn't know what he said to the lady he'd been talking to, but he was pretty sure his chest was safe from Omashu Oatcakes for the foreseeable future. He felt heat building at the ends of his fingers. He was going to _kill_ that smug, fancy, lecherous—

_Did you see the way the boy was shaking when he walked out?_

He was going to find Bolin. Firescum Iroh would just have to wait—somewhere out there, Mako's baby brother needed him.

The finding proved harder than Mako had expected. The landlords and customers at Bolin's usual sake houses just shrugged and shook their heads. Mako finally caught up to him in a dive deep into Agni Kai territory, where Mako had sometimes gone when he was a kid looking for a fight. It didn't mean anything now, with the Triads still reeling from Amon's attacks. Didn't mean anything but that Bolin wanted to drown his sorrows where no one he knew would see him.

He was still dressed in his party clothes, shiny jacket with the silver piping, the sort of thing that could get you in trouble in a place like this, but nobody bothered Bolin at his corner table. _He's just a kid_ , Mako had told Iroh, but he wasn't, really. It was hard for Mako to remember, sometimes. The words _I told you so_ died on his lips.

"Hey." Mako pulled out a chair, sat down next to Bolin. Bolin didn't look up. "I'm . . . I'm proud of you. Should've know you wouldn't let some flash prince treat you like a toy. You're better than that, bro."

"Huh?" Now Bolin did look at Mako, and blinked owlishly. "Nonono. 'Snot like that. He didn't mean . . ." Bolin's fists clenched. The building's foundation shook slightly. Mako hoped the landlord hadn't noticed. "Didn't mean _anything._ Stupid prince. Stupid honor." Bolin poked moodily at the table, making circles with his finger in a puddle of spilled sake. "Just . . . I thought he liked me," he muttered, barely audible. "Stupid Bolin."

"Bo, no. You're smart, you're funny, you're—" Better not get into _gorgeous_ — "Why wouldn't he like you? Everyone likes you."

"Ha, right." The circles Bolin was doodling had turned into United Forces collar insignia. "I'm the rock that the Avatar's team is built on."

Mako recognized the clipped, formal tones that Bolin was imitating. The next time Mako saw Iroh he was going to burn his face off. My grandfather this, my grandfather that, let's see how he liked looking like him.

Bolin pointed at Mako suddenly, dripping finger nearly touching his nose. "You told me. You did. Korra's not for you, Bolin, Iroh's not for you. Well, you were right. You were right about everything. Feels good, doesn't it?"

"No," said Mako. "No, it sucks. I'm really sorry, Bo."

"'Snot your fault." Bolin lowered his finger and let his shoulders slump. "You're just looking out for me, right? You're my brother."

Mako stood up and held out a hand to Bolin, who took it and stood, staggering. "I'll always be your brother," he said. "C'mon, let's go home."


End file.
